Sockets are familiar tools for applying and removing threaded fasteners, such as nuts and bolts. Sockets are typically sized and shaped to marry with at least a portion of the threaded fastener having a corresponding size and shape. With the assistance of the socket, the threaded fastener may be turned by a wrench or rotating power tool to apply or remove the threaded fastener and secure or unsecure, respectively, the fastener and an item that the fastener is securing.
Some conventional sockets can come into contact with a surface of the item to be secured surrounding the fastener during application or removal. As a result of the interaction between the socket and the item's surface, the surface may be marred. For example, when applying a lug nut, some conventional sockets come into physical contact with a surface of a wheel rim surrounding the position where the lug nut is being applied. When the socket is turned to affix the lug nut to the lug post, the physical contact between the socket and the rim can mar the surface of the rim. In some circumstances, this physical contact between the socket and the surface surrounding the fastener can be the result of the length of fastener being smaller than the depth of the socket aperture. Further, the same socket is often utilized with a variety of fasteners having different lengths thereby increasing the risk of marring.
In this regard, on some automotive assembly lines multiple models of vehicles may be constructed on the same line. Sometimes, different models require different types of fasteners. For example, the lug nut on a consumer version of a car may be of a certain length, but the police department version of the same car may require the same width nut but a shorter nut having a flange or an extended flange. Likewise, different length nuts or styles of nuts (e.g., with an extended flange, narrower flange, or no flange) may be utilized on a consumer version of a truck versus commercial version of the same truck. Automobile manufacturers need to be able to switch over the line quickly between models and therefore tools that can accommodate both models and a variety of fasteners while still maintaining anti-marring features provide an advantage.
Thus, it is desirable to provide a new design for a socket that addresses these concerns.